Doom: Expedition
by VanGuard6
Summary: A "DOOMed" Expedition, and a grand discovery. One-shot.


_**Doom: Expedition**_

 _Name: Sgt. Karl Mason_

 _Unit: Assigned to 22_ _nd_ _Expeditionary Division as of now._

Welcome to hell – Hell of an understatement if you asked anyone who's been there or, at heard the tales.

The year is 2124; mankind has reached beyond the far reaches of space.

Countless worlds waiting to e pillaged for the betterment of Humanity.

The Union Aerospace Corporation, one of the world's leading corporation in all things science has been at the forefront of discovery.

The red planet, Mars. Thought barren until recent discovery made by Scientist Doctor Samuel Hyland discovered deep within the planet's core, a dormant power source far greater than any of that found on Earth waiting to be found.

 _Authorization order: 2-Lima-Sierra – Effective Immediately._

 _Leading Doctor Arianna Sanchez, Employee No. 26253755, authorized to carry out 'Regnant' providing escort will be 22_ _nd_ _Expeditionary Division, USMC, B-Company, Hellions, under command of Acting Lieutenant Tom J. Hardy._

Any and all other information regarding to 'Regnant' shall then be classified.

Failure to comply with will result in immediate termination.

-XXXX-

 _Welcome to Nova Tartarus_

The ship descended with a silent thud, and the whir of the engines dying down, the red sand like a blanket covering everything in its path.

The _extra muscle_ filed out of the bird, single-file. All bearing duffel bags, and sporting military uniform, and tattoos: Marines - Hellfighters. They wore it with great pride, the mark of a true warrior, a man is as good as the number of missions he's been on.

This was his 12th, which makes him the best out of all the other jarheads walking beside and behind him.

Karl Mason followed the marines move by move as they entered deeper into their new home.

F.O.B (Forward Operating Base) on Mars, located in the Nova Tartarus prime sector, under employment of Earths Multi-National corporation, Union Aerospace Corporation.

 _"Welcome to Union Aerospace Corporation military installment, Nova Tartarus."_ A female robotic voice greeted as they passed decontamination and into the main _lobby_.

Men in lab coats, holding datapads going about like it was any other day. Barely any time to stop and look at the Marines - the fresh meat - hell, of a welcoming party. They sure rolled the welcome wagon out on this one.

One of the Marines, forgot his name, wears a cowboy hat and a red bandanna around his neck, grabbed the closest scientist. It startled the shorter, meek looking man, who wouldn't actually, when you got a six-foot mean as hell few pounds of devil dogs staring down at you.

"Hey," he greeted, but came out as a growl further frightening the little man, he was shaking already and making little scarred noises. "uh, we're new here and..."

"The barracks are passed that way," he answered quickly, like a kid being harassed by bullies told to do his homework for him or else... "down there, take a left, the cafeteria will be on the left, so take the next right and you'll be at MCP (Marine Command Post). Please!"

After that, the man went off, probably to change his underwear. Little bitch.

Some of the marines were already getting acquainted, talking like they've known each other for a long time. You'd think, with how they were laughing and stuff. Brotherhood of the Suck - as the other branches called it.

"Oh, ho, ho, wow, look at these fresh meat!" The senior Marines, those that have been here, cat called as they walked pass the Cafeteria.

"Hey, ya'll late, boss wants the CO of this group in his office, now!"

They walked on, through the jeers and cheers and insults being thrown their way. It's okay. It's was just good ol' Devil Dog humor. They meant well. When the going gets though, these are the guys you want in a foxhole with you. You're gonna need'em.

"So, what unit are you in?" A marine in front of him, black man with a Mohawk, like that one guy in that very, very, old show. "Names, Sweet. Joshua Sweet, Medical Officer, First Force Recon."

"Karl Mason, CSO Scout Sniper, MARSOC."

"Shiiiieet!" Sweet grinned. He rapped the back of the Marine in front of him, "Hey, Joyce, check this out, we got MARSOC in the house."

That stopped the big bald crew cut wearing man, he turns. "No-Fucking-way." said the Marine named Joyce.

After that, they were all hooting and calling him by names.

-XXXX-

"I believe you all have been acquainted. So, I'll skip the 'look to your left, and look to your right' speech. You're here for one reason, to protect these science quacks!"

He was this bigger than life figure, standing there and going over the safety briefing, a Force Recon Colonel.

"I see a lot of good Marines here, heck, any Marine that volunteers to come here, the worst _hell_ in the universe, millions of miles away from the loving bosom of mother Earth, is a good Marine in my books."

There was nothing like an old school 'You are great' speech to give your ego a boost. "As per your briefing packets - which I'm ya'll have read - we have found oil on Mars. Only, it ain't the black liquid in Fallujah or anywhere else in the Middle East. Argent Energy, the new oil, powers this station, and one day, when it is passed, will power the world."

"So what's the problem here, Colonel?"

"I'm getting to it. The place where this energy is coming from, is... _far_ from here."

"Now, I know, these next few words - it's only one word - is gonna sound ridiculous, and trust me. I know, and I've been there. This place where this energy is coming from is..."

"Hell."

-XXXX-

"You think the Colonel was serious?" They got to their bunks after their briefing.

Marines settling in for the night before the big operation tomorrow. They were now all part of the 22nd Expeditionary Unit, B-Company, Hellions, under acting Lieutenant Tom J. Hardy. Their _Lieutenant_ Lieutenant was MIA. In Hell.

"If he was joking, then that sure as hell was one hell of a stand up." Said Dallas. "Pun intended."

So, Hell. It's real. Okay, and so are demons.

 _We have an indigenous population of creatures called 'Demons' each one has been color marked based on their threat level. Now red is the highest we've gone. There are black levels but those guys that run into them can't tell you about it now._

"What do you think, Mason?" asked Sugar.

They've been debating throughout the length of his spacing out.

"We're here for a job. Hey, we volunteered to come here. Let's act like nothing surprises us, okay. We're Marines. Not 5th graders on a field trip. We've seen all. We've done all."

Cowboy Hat 'Turk' grinned and replied in fake southern accent. "Well I'd be damn, MARSOC here is talkin' some sense, ya'll better listen." And they all laughed, and nodded.

Hoorah.

-XXXX-

 _Recon_

 _Day of the Operation - 1030 Mars Time_

Dr. Arianna Sanchez was getting impatient as the seconds ticked by.

This so-called ' _New Security Detail_ ' was late. And she hated late. Especially when this could change the future of mankind. Oh, right, they're nothing but Marines with itchy trigger fingers. What more could she expect from them except that.

"Maybe be more punctual. You would think the military raised disciplined men and women not... _these_ hooligans." She growled.

Her partner for this expedition, Senior Scientist and Mentor, Abraham Rubenowitz chuckled lightly at his former student, pacing impatiently to and fro. "Calm down, Arianna. You're gonna give yourself an aneurysm."

"I just had one," She snapped but Abraham only shook his head and adjusted his hat.

Then the elevator arrived, the Marines filed out, 12 of them fully armed and ready for action. They took in the sight of the beautiful brunette with her long hair tied and braided in a long ponytail that rested on her right shoulder. Her green eyes scrutinizing them as they stood about casually, some smoking. Ugh, she hated smoking.

"Well 'bout time," She said, groaning at these man-childs' the company threw at her and called it Security Detail.

"Dr. Sanchez, my name Lieutenant Tom Hardy, and I'm here to escort you and Dr. Rubenowitz to and back from the..."

"Titans realm, god, did you even bothered reading through the documents I sent to the Colonel to pass on to you?!" She bit out, exasperated.

Great, just great, entering hostile territory with no knowledge, except shoot anything that looks like a threat. Yeah, sure, let's throw Hell's ecosystem in unbalance by killing all the top predators that feed on the medium and lower predators. That'll do wonders.

"Listen, _Acting_ Lieutenant, I know you're not the one really in charge of this...this gang! But let me be clear, our presence in Hell have to be one hundred percent sterile, if we so much as move a single brimstone..." Unfortunately, the lieutenant and all the other marines had tuned her out then. Now it only looked like she was moving her mouth with no voice coming through, though her breasts were jiggling rather nicely underneath that white tank top she wore under her expedition gear gear.

"Do I make myself clear...?"

"Crystal Ma'am. Don't shoot at anything at all, got it."

"Ugh," She just groaned.

Hell's atmosphere was breathable, no different from Earth's except the high concentrations of sulfur dioxide in the air.

Aside from that, there is also the high temperature, meaning they had to dress lightly, but leave no skin exposed, some parts of hell the air is so hot it melts your skin off.

UAC automated Drones came back with samples from the Titan's realm with high Argent energy readings. But that was also the problem, Titan's realm is undocumented sector of hell within the 7 sectors of hell. Nothing but ancient ruin of an undocumented civilization. Who were they, their language contains a combination of 3 separate culture: Cambodian, Egyptian and Mayan, and it all predates man, so who made these then. And where did man really come from?

The creatures that lurk in Titan's realm were high level demons: Code Red.

In Doctor Sanchez's face, so much for 'Don't shoot anything at all.'

This was why Abraham was here, he had better understanding in ancient civilizations and has spent years trying to figure out this puzzle since coming to Mars.

"Check your sleeves, make sure they're sealed tight, keep your mask on and take'em off when the good doctor tells you too." Hardy trumpeted.

"Aye, aye, lieutenant."

They rode the tram to the what was dubbed, 'Gateway'

The team was suited up in light armored gear, kevlar, shin guards, and a small tank of air attached to their waist. They were armed with heavy assault rifles, with micro missile attachment, pulse pistols and a very sharp knife and vaporizer grenades.

 _'Gateway opening sequence T-minus 5-minutes.'_

The automated female voice announced just as they entered and stood in front of the machine that could tear through time and space. The was an increasing whirring sound before Doctor Abraham turned and told them not to mind the humming in their ears once on the other side.

"You'll feel wozzy; lets' hope you all had a wonderful meal." He laughed.

"All set!"

"Yes, sir."

The sound was that of an explosion of very large magnitude, this section of the facility housing 'Gateway' shook stronger than a 3 megaton bomb explosion. The lights flickered, and some burst, scientist outside and in the pilot house, watching from behind protective glass hung onto the consoles as the blue bubble of light enveloped the team of scientist and marines.

"Teleportation sequence, in 3, 2, 1, _mark!_ "

Then they were gone. Just like that, nothing that said they were ever there. They vanished into thin air. But the truth is, they were travelling at 3 times of light speed through a tunnel that was rapidly closing behind them. Their arrival will be in 3,2,1... _mark._

-XXXX-

Hell

Titan's realm

"Is it always that rough?" asked Tanner picking himself up from the dirt.

A couple others were still emptying their guts, the good doctor Abraham standing there grinning as the Marines and Dr. Sanchez staggered to their feet.

The ground was sand, but hotter, and the rocks -

"Don't touch that," warned Doctor Abraham as a very overly curious Marine got to close to one of the brimstone rock faces. The thing was glowing dark red with fire in their cracks on the surface.

Welcome to hell, the place wasn't as it was described to be by those paintings he saw on Earth. If anything it reminded him of the grand canyon, just redder and hotter with a river of flames flowing next to him.

"Alright, form up, motion trackers on, sync time - we're gonna be here for a while so conserve your ammunition, don't shoot at what you can't hit."

They made their way to ruins, statues like the gargoyles on top of Victorian era buildings, demons, roaring at them as they entered under the archway. Doctor Martinez had with her an Argent Reader, like a Geiger counter, beeping steadily, closing in on the energy source.

They breath, in awe of these ancient structures, no demon could build this.

Karl Mason walked close to one of the walls painted with hieroglyphics, Abraham approached him from behind. "Beautiful, isn't it." said the older more tolerable of the two scientist.

"Yeah," breathed Mason, even though he didn't actually understand what the fuck he was looking at.

"These markings contain three different cultures: Egyptian, Mayan and Cambodian." explained the Doctor.

"DOCTOR!" Dr. Sanchez's cry tore their attention from the markings; they ran thinking it was something urgent - and it was.

The sarcophagus rested in the center of the room, pulsating red markings all over the floor and walls. And it was chained...to keep something out. But the question is, what?

What frightened the Denizens of the Underworld enough to go through such lengths, this place had high levels of argent energy as the drone readings stated.

"Mark the coordinates down, turn on your locators, that way Nova can get a read on our position."

While the doctors did... _science?_ The Marines set up, perimeter around the sarcophagus site. "Okay, Marines; remember there are red level hostiles in this area so keep it tight."

"Roger!"

Hours went by and things started losing appeal as the moments went by. Karl sniffed, balancing the rifle in both arms as the doctors still documented things.

 _"I don't know if it's bad timing at all, but I'e had to take a dump since the Gateway."_

That particular statement earned a chuckle from everyone.

 _"Well, keep it in, we won't be here long so..."_

...

 _"Hey, anybody got eyes on Meyers?"_

 _What!_ They all turned to each other, confused over the statement.

 _"He was with you, right?"_

 _"Yeah, man."_ Defended the Marine. _"He was standing not 10 feet away from me moments ago - now he's gone!"_

Meyers and Jacobson were behind the _temple_ if that's what you called this ruin. Karl and Hardy moved to investigate.

They jogged, Jacobson was waiting for them there, he was breathing heavily. _"Lt. I think my air tanks leaked - I can't breathe, man."_

Shit, cursed the lieutenant as they sat the Marine down on the ground. He turns to Mason and tells him, "Go find Meyers. I'll stay with him."

He nodded, then went down the only way Meyers could disappear to.

He walked between the trench, rifle pointed up, safety's off and finger on the trigger. He breathed steadily. Turning the bend, he was certain this was where Meyers would come to.

 _"Meyers, you read me?"_ He tried hailing the Marine on the intercom.

 _"STATIC"_

"Shit!" he cursed. "Fuck this place." He proceeded deeper into the trench.

...

"What's going on here?" Dr. Sanchez came out, pissed, because now one of them is missing and it could upset the whole operation if they had to erect a rescue mission now.

"Meyers went off the grid, ma'am. Mason and the Lieutenant went looking for him. Jacobson has a leaked air tank."

"Fuck," said the Scientist. Then she kneels down beside the out of breath marine. "Steady, Marine, look at me."

...

"Jesus, fuck! Meyers!" Karl jumped out of his skin as the Marine suddenly appeared in front of him, coming out of clouds of steam like a wraith, startling the SOC Staff Sergeant.

Meyers chuckled, "Hey, Mason." He greeted.

"Where the fuck have you been! LT's gonna tear you a new one."

The other marine shuddered, "Yeah, about that, I heard something, it's weird, man - this place. I followed it, and ended up getting lost. Hey, thanks for coming for me."

"We don't leave a man behind."

They headed back to the others and that's when chaos ensued.

-XXXX-

"Shit! They got LT!"

The man named Hardy was screaming as the large red horned creature with green eyes held him in one hand, growling.

They fired but stopped, afraid they might hit the lieutenant. "Someone help him!" Shouted Doctor Sanchez.

"I can't I might hit the lieutenant!" But that wouldn't be their concern any longer as the creature bit down on his head and tore it off, blood sprayed from the ripped stump of his neck, a fountain of gore.

It swallowed, the devoured the rest of the body. "JESUS CHRIST!" They all fired.

The big red monster roared, and unleashed a ball of green flames their direction. They ducked and dove out of the way.

A small fire ball tore through Oswald's chest, from the fireball came from another direction. They turned, more demons descended upon them.

One dragged Joyce up the ruins and disappeared out of sight, his cries like a madman in great pain tore through their ears as whatever it was ripped into him.

The big red monster - the Baron of Hell - leapt and landed, unleashing a shockwave of green flames that engulfed two more marines, they flailed their arms widely, screaming in agony trying to put the flames out but it only lasted twelve seconds before they fell crumpled to the ground, a heap of black burnt bones.

Sweet locked onto the big beast, it roared in his direction, the black man unleashed a fury of micro missiles down its throat. "FUCK YOU!" shouted the Marine as the missiles made their mark.

The Baron fell to the ground dead.

But more demons descended.

One grabbed Turk down a hole in the ground, two marines tried to save the man, ended up as target practice for Imps hurling fireballs. One of them hitting him square in the face. He howled, as the skin of his face melted away.

The other marine was dragged up in the air by an aerial. A kind they've never seen before, like a giant bat, it bit down the marines head and dragged his still kicking self up and disappeared. Nothing but the garbled screams of his agony before it was silenced by a violent crunch followed by swallowing sound.

And soon there 5, Doctor Abraham was dragged off sometime during the chaos without a sound.

Mason and Meyers came back in time to see -

Hell Knight! - "Jacobson, look out!"

The weakened marine, leaned against a wall, looked up, his arms unable to hold the heavy assault rifle anymore. He breathed heavy, and fearfully as the creature leered at him through tiny black holes in its skull. It's mouth forever frozen in a lipless grin and it reached out and grabbed the marine by the waist like a doll and brought him to face level.

It roared, saliva sticking to his face, the stench of death was its breath as it seemed to open its jaws wide.

"Y-you're not eating me..." proclaimed the captive Marine weakly.

The knight seemed to do a double take, staring at him, puzzled by his proclamation. The marine held up two cylindrical objects - vaporizer grenades.

He popped the top and pushed the button. "BOOM!" The creatures roar was silenced when an unknown explosive force swallowed it. The force of detonation took them off their feet.

Dust kicked up, Mason picked himself up from the ground, the three other marines got up as well and Doctor Sanchez.

"Mason," Sweet called out as he came to the Marine.

They were all that's left. Mason, Sweet, and two others Marines that made it out unscathed.

"We need to get back to the portal. Dr. Sanchez!"

"Dr. Sanchez?" Where the hell is she?

The good doctor was back in the temple, the analysis was complete. She hears a snarl behind her. The brunette doctor turns, an Imp shrieked at her before a hail of bullets tore into it.

"Dr. we need to go, now!"

4 of them plus the doctor, that makes 5. Running for the portal site, Demons hot on their heels.

"Uuuwaagh!" One marine cried.

They turned, a massive lump of _lard_ with two cannons for arms lumbering toward them, bellying a growl that shook them.

It unleashed three more blast of energy much like an argent cannon, Sweet, Mason and the doc took cover. The other marine stricken by grief at the lost of his friends faced down the creature, he fired wildly into the beasts gut, it worked as the beast howled in pain but it didn't go down yet.

Instead, it fired the same time he fired the micro missiles.

Both were killed, the man was vaporized while the demon had a large hole torn through it's gut.

The doctor was an emotional wreck, shivering and whimpering like a hurt puppy as she clutched herself. "Come on, Doc. Portal's not too far."

-XXXX-

They jogged the last few kilometers when suddenly Demons popped out the ground. "Doc, RUN!" shouted Mason as he fired into the demonic horde.

The doctor ran, the other direction away from the portal.

"This is it, man." said Sweet.

"You, and me both."

They fought, their last stand.

And they roared their battle cry as the demonic horde slowly swallowed them like a wave.

"HOOOORAAAAH!"

-XXXX-

Dr. Arianna Sanchez, her whole life, devoted to the betterment of mankind.

She ran, in tears, but her road came to a halt when it was bisected by a river of flowing magma. She looks down, defeated. Behind her, she hears the cry and wails of demons. The gunfire was gone.

She remembers her mother, on Earth. She clutches herself and she cried.

Long sobs of defeat. Death crept up behind her, this is where she's gonna die. An unmarked grave in uncharted territory.

"I'm sorry, mom." She sobbed.

She hears the familiar growl of a large demon behind her and sure enough there was. A Baron of Hell, mouth dripping with Saliva, leering down at her with glowing green eyes. She was nothing but a meal.

Arianna looks at the flowing river of fire, no longer afraid, then...she spits, and after that, throws herself into the flowing fire.

-XXXX-

 _Gateway_

All personnel stopped what they were doing as the head of the facility, Samuel Hayden entered.

The man, who lost his body to brain cancer, only his mind lived on in this cybernetic body of his. "Status?" He asked in a deep mechanical voice.

"All hands lost, sir. But...we found it."

"Good, prep an extraction team."

"Yes, sir." Said the female technician.

The robot turns, if he could smile, he would. After all these years, they finally found it. The one - flesh and blood - to walk between dimensions. Theirs and ours.

"The Doomslayer..."


End file.
